Search

This is the first attempt to detect antibiotic residues released into the Persian Gulf marine environment. In particular, this study quantifies and assesses the ecological risks of amoxicillin (AMX) and azithromycin (AZM) residues in wastewater outfalls from Bandar Abbas, one of the major coastal cities in southern Iran. The wastewater effluent samples were collected from two main wastewater discharging stations, Gursuzan and Suru, between December 2020 and February 2021. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis revealed the average concentration (± 95% CL) of AMX were 460 ± 230.0 μg L -1 and 280 ± 100.6 μg L -1 in Gursuzan and Suru stations. Mean AZM concentrations were also 264 ± 10.59 μg L -1 and 295 ± 89.75 μg L -1 in these stations, respectively. Pooled data indicated that there are 335.17 ± 105.11 and 288.17 ± 37.94 μg of AMX and AZM residues in the wastewater per liter. The values of potential ecological risk, hazard quotient (HQ), were extensively above 10 (AMX: 90,586.5 and AZM: 5541.7) which suggest that these substances have a high health risk for the ecosystem and public. Given that Bandar Abbas wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) outlets are discharged at about 500 to 700 L s -1 , the daily maximum potential AMX and AZM released were estimated to be 19.05 (± 0.283) × 10 3 and 14.74 (± 0.113) × 10 3  g day -1 , respectively (α = 0.05). Our findings show that there is a concerning volume of antibiotic residues released into the northern Persian Gulf, and hence urgent policies and actions are necessary to reduce this pollution., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

Seafood is a rich source of essential compounds for human health, but the consumption of aquatic products that are exposed to environmental pollutants, especially trace metals, comes with risk. Therefore, in this study, the levels of nickel, zinc, and lead in the muscle of shrimp Penaeus semisulcatus caught from the north of the Persian Gulf as a polluted environment were measured, and the health risks were assessed. The results showed that the level of Zn (300.88 ± 2.76 µg/g) in the muscle of shrimp was higher than Ni (6.82 ± 0.10) and Pb (1.10 ± 0.09 µg/g), and the amount of accumulation of all three metals is higher than the allowable limit proposed by the FAO/WHO. According to values of estimated daily intake (EDI) and target hazard quotient (THQ), the consumption of shrimp has no or minimal risk for health. However, the target cancer risk (TR) of Ni (adult, 0.00294; child, 0.00196) indicated that Ni accumulation is associated with carcinogenic risks. These findings may be helpful in the proper management of seafood quality and public health in the Persian Gulf., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Seafood has long been considered a unique source of nutrition. However, increasing trends in consumption of marine products must be considered, especially in potentially polluted environments such as the Persian Gulf. This study was undertaken to analyse the level of heavy metal contamination of nickel (Ni), zinc (Zn), and lead (Pb) in shrimp (Penaeus merguiensis) captured from the northern Persian Gulf. The concentration of heavy metals in the muscle of shrimp followed the order Zn > Ni > Pb. The content of Zn and Ni was higher than recommended standard limits by the FAO/WHO. The combined impact of all metals was lower than the acceptable limit of 1 in shrimp. The carcinogenic risk for Ni was higher than the unacceptable value. In total, our finding indicated no potential health risk from the daily consumption of this species. However, long-term consumption of shrimp can pose a risk of carcinogenic effects of nickel. Continuous monitoring of these trace metals in seafood is necessary to ensure the quality of seafood and food safety., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

This study addresses the sources of aliphatic hydrocarbons (AHs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the surface sediments of the northwestern Persian Gulf and the muscle tissues of Jinga shrimp (Metapenaeus affinis), a commercially important aquatic species. In November 2018, 28 Jinga shrimp samples were systematically collected from four key fishing areas in Behrgan and Khormusi: Imam Khomeini Port (S1), Mahshahr Port (S2), Sejafi (S3), and Behrgan Wharf (S4). Additionally, sediment samples were collected from these locations, and AHs and PAHs concentrations were analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The average aliphatic concentration in Jinga shrimp was 4800.32 (μg g -1 DW), exceeding the sediment samples' 2496.69 (μg g -1 DW) estimate. Hydrocarbon component analysis revealed EPA priority list (PAH-16) and measured PAHs (PAH-29) concentrations in Jinga shrimp ranging from 1095.8 to 2698.3 (ng g -1 DW) and in sediments from 653.6 to 1019.5 (ng g -1 DW). Elevated AHs and PAHs in Jinga shrimp, compared to sediments, suggest a petrogenic source, notably at station S4 near Behrgansar and Nowruz oil fields. Low molecular weight (LMW) compounds dominated in both shrimp and sediment PAHs. Aliphatic composition profiles in shrimps closely mirrored sediment profiles, illustrating an even-to-odd carbon dominance gradient. Diagnostic ratio examinations of hydrocarbons indicated pervasive petroleum derivatives in the environment. This study establishes a direct correlation between hydrocarbon concentrations in shrimp and sediment samples and the corresponding aliphatic groups, PAH-16, and PAH-29. The findings underscore the potential of Jinga shrimp as a reliable indicator of hydrocarbon pollution in the northwestern Persian Gulf., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Due to extremely high rates of evaporation and low precipitation in the Persian Gulf, discharges from desalination plants (DPs) can lead to ecological stresses by increasing water temperatures, salinities, and heavy metal concentrations, as well as decreasing dissolved oxygen levels. We discuss the potential ecological impacts of DPs on marine organisms and propose mitigating measures to reduce the problems induced by DPs discharges. The daily capacity of DPs in the Persian Gulf exceeds 11 million m 3 per day, which is approximately half of global daily freshwater production; multistage flash distillation (MSF) is the dominant desalination process. Results from field and laboratory studies indicate that there are potentially serious and chronic threats to marine communities following exposure to DP discharges, especially within the zoobenthos, echinodermata, seagrasses, and coral reefs. DP discharges can lead to decreases in sensitive species, plankton abundance, hard substrate epifauna, and growth rates of seagrasses. However, the broad applicability of any one of these impacts is currently hard to scale because of the limited number of studies that have been conducted to assess the ecological impacts of DP discharge on Persian Gulf organisms. Even so, available data suggest that appropriately sited, designed, and operated DPs combined with current developments in impingement and entrainment reduction technology can mitigate many of the negative environmental impacts of DPs., (© 2019 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Boleophthalmus dussumieri is one of the most widely distributed mudskippers and is native to the Persian Gulf in Iran down to the northeast of the Arabian Sea and the coast of India. Nonetheless, the present study is the first to confirm the presence of B. dussumieri in the marine areas of the Mozambique coast. In addition, molecular analysis revealed strong evidence for the existence of two lineages with a high level of nucleotide divergence along the sampled area, revealing a still-neglected taxonomic condition for this lineage/species., (© 2022 Fisheries Society of the British Isles.)

There is always an adamant need to comprehend and draw the complex challenges of sustainability in order to help organize studies, due to the increasing human-related pressures on coastal zones. Hence, by formulating such a comprehensive framework, it could be possible to anticipate changes and support managerial decisions, as well as the degree of resilience of the region's environment. One of the approaches utilized in littoral or coastal zones is the conceptual framework of drivers, pressure, status, impact, and responses (DPSIR)..Qeshm Island, the largest island in the Persian Gulf, is accounted for being the most vital and strategic areas of the mentioned region. In recent decades, Qeshm has become one of the major cultural, natural, geological, and tourism hubs of the country due to its unique regional characteristics, along with its biodiversity and environmental sensitivity. Thereby, in the present research, a combined approach shall be followed to explore the resilience of the marine environment on the northern coast of Qeshm Island by taking advantage of the socioeconomic criterion. In this respect, the conceptual framework of the DPSIR model is utilized in combination with the structural equation model (SEM-PLS) (or partial least squares), which is one of the nonexperimental techniques, to quantify the results in the best manner possible. On the basis of the fuzzy cognitive map (FCM), the regional economic index bearing the weights of 0.62, 0.62, and 0.5, along with an institutional-managerial and biological index, respectively, denotes a two-way positive correlation, whereas this factor has a two-way, but adverse correlation, relationship with a weight of 0.65 in terms of the sociocultural index. Similarly, there is also a one-way and negative relationship, as to the economic index, with a weight of 0.69 which is in relevance with the physio-chemical index., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) have been serious environmental problems in the Persian Gulf and Oman Sea in recent years. There has been an increase in occurrence of HABs in coastal waters of Hormuzgan Province (to the north of the Persian Gulf and Oman Sea) in recent decade, due to eutrophication as a result of human activities. In this review, HAB phenomena in coastal waters of Hormuzgan Province are summarized, including, causative species, timing and the location of blooms during a 35-year time span from 1980 to 2015. This review illustrates that 436 algal blooms have been recorded in the north of the Persian Gulf, formed by 17 species of phytoplankton; 270 of harmful dinoflagellate (Margalefidinium polykrikoides) blooms have led to huge catastrophic impacts on the economy, environment, and society. In addition, most algal blooms (49%) have occurred in the coasts of Bandar Abbas. The data in this review suggest supporting the establishment of an algal bloom monitoring and control program in the coastal waters of the northern part of the Persian Gulf and Oman Sea (Hormuzgan Province)., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

The concentration of 19 metal and non-metal elements in two fishes (Liza subviridis and Sphyraena jello) and associated sediment-seawater from the northern part of the Persian Gulf was measured. The samples were gathered from two industrial ports, one commercial port, and one residential port. The metal accumulation in the muscle and liver of fishes was evaluated. Nickel (mean 362.07-712.83 μg/g) and chromium (mean 470.00-691.47 μg/g) in sediment and zinc (mean 9.01-31.15 μg/L) and arsenic (mean 18.22-22.14 μg/L) in seawater had the most abundancy among studied elements. The accumulation of elements in S. jello (a pelagic species) was higher than L. subviridis (a demersal species). For both species, major elements of S and Mg and trace elements of Fe, Al, Si, Zn, and Cu showed highest accumulation. Also, fish samples from Emam Hassan Port were more contaminated than other stations. Ecological indexes values have revealed a low to moderate elemental pollution of sediment and fish samples in the north part of the Persian Gulf.

The current investigation evaluates metal (loid)s biomonitoring using algae as well as the metal(loid) pollution of seawaters and sediments in the northern part along the Persian Gulf. Algae, seawater, and sediment samples were collected from four coastal areas with different land applications. The concentration of Ni, V, As, and Cd in abiotic samples (seawater and sediment) and four species of algae (Enteromorpha intestinalis, Rhizoclonium riparium, Cystoseira myrica, and Sargassum boveanum) was measured using an ICP-AES device. Concentrations of potentially toxic elements in seawater, sediments, and algae species followed the trend of "Ni˃V˃As˃Cd." The area of Asaloyeh (with the highest industrial activity) and the Dayyer area (with the lowest industrial activity) provided the highest and lowest amounts of metal(loid)s pollution, respectively. The average concentrations of V and As in four algae species significantly differed for all sampled areas. Obtaining the bio-concentration factor (BCF) > 1 for seawater and < 1 for sediment indicated that the studied algae have the ability to efficiently concentrate metal(loid)s from seawater and the limited accumulation of metals in sediments. According to the Nemerow pollution index, the order of metal(loid)s pollution for the studied areas estimated as Asaloyeh>Ganaveh>Bushehr>Dayyer. Algae species of C. myrica and E. intestinalis can often serve as suitable biological tools for monitoring seawater and sediment quality.